Opinion: Save Arnie or don’t, but think about it first

The school mascot has always played a
significant role in colleges and universities. The animal or object is often chosen for its symbolic
characteristics, its historical relevance or because it is a species that is
indigenous to an area. It becomes
a unifying force for students, faculty and staff, bringing people together by
representing a shared vision.

As we move into the future as a
Colorado community college, my hope is that we consider all this when choosing
whether to keep our current mascot (and give it a needed update) or find a new
one. It’s also important to understand the history of the old when
considering the new. Accounts of Arnie the aardvark’s origin story are varied.

A direct account recently came from a
local resident who was a student senator here in the ‘70s. He recalls
distinctly that the choice of mascot was born out of a divide between the
academic students and student athletes. The athletes, he says, wanted to build a
serious intercollegiate program and wanted a serious mascot to go with it. One
of their favorites was the Mountaineers. The academics struck back by choosing
the most frivolous mascot they could find – the Aardvark.

Another account has it that the aardvark
was chosen because it’s the first animal found in the dictionary, leading to
the motto “Aardvarks Come First.”

Yet another account explains that it
was chosen by students who were returning from the Vietnam War. They had
been crawling through dirt, and sometimes treated like dirt, so choosing a
dirt-dwelling, burrowing animal felt right. The original school colors, black
and blue, were chosen to reflect how beat-up they felt.

Whichever story is most accurate (and
there may be some truth in all of them), this history should be considered when
making your choice.

Whether you choose to keep Arnie as a
traditional nod to the past or find a new one that represents our diversity,
life in Colorado or what we strive to become, remember that it will remain the
symbol of our institution for many years. It must have meaning. It must have
some kind of significance as it relates to who WE are here at PPCC.

If it’s an animal, should it be
indigenous to our state? Should it represent our students’ grit, determination
and perseverance? You have the answer and the choice is yours.

Make your suggestions at Student Life
this month and cast your final vote in your student elections April 9-10 on
D2L.

Karen Kovaly is the communication coordinator for the PPCC
Marketing and Communication Department.